Utilization of the tropical almond tree leaves in aquaculture

Rex Delsar B. Dianala

Tropical almond tree (Terminalia catappa), also known in Not too many people know that these dried tropical almond
the Philippines as “talisay” is a large tropical tree in the tree leaves scattered around SEAFDEC/AQD’s premises
Combretaceae (leadwood tree) family that grows mainly hold almost magical properties that can solve fundamental
in tropical areas of Asia. The tree grows from 10 m to
problems in the aquaculture industry. Being rich in organic
25 m high and has horizontal whorls of branches with shiny
and ovate leaves, 10-25 cm long, and tapering below to compounds, these leaves could be used to condition the culture
a narrow and heart-shaped base with expanded rounded water resulting in improved survival, growth, and health of
apex. “Talisay” fruit is smooth and ellipsoid, 3-6 cm cultured species.
long, and prominently bi-ridged or keeled down to the
sides, with fibrous and fleshy pericarp and hard endocarp. Utilization of “talisay” leaves in
Studies have indicated that the leaves of “talisay” are
rich in tannins and a host of organic compounds that help
aquaculture
in conditioning the culture water resulting in improved
survival, growth, and health of cultured aquatic species. Recently, SEAFDEC/AQD Scientist Dr. Frolan Aya
demonstrated that simply littering hatchery tanks with
“talisay” leaves significantly improves the survival of the
“Talisay” at SEAFDEC Aquaculture larvae of “ayungin” or silver therapon (Leiopotherapon
Department plumbeus). In his experiment, Dr. Aya observed that the
“talisay” leaves, which were simply laid and allowed to
This is a daily early morning scene at the SEAFDEC decompose in the culture tanks, resulted in a 48% survival
Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC/AQD) in Tigbauan, of ayungin larvae (Figure 2). Meanwhile, those without the
Iloilo, Philippines. Broad red leaves litter the driveway of leaf substrate only achieved 27% survival rate.
the SEAFDEC/AQD premises, especially during the dry
season. In previous months, the leaves were a brilliant green
before turning into shades of yellow, orange and red (Figure
1), and falling away from the tall “talisay” trees lined up
along the roads leading to the SEAFDEC/AQD buildings and
research facilities. Groundsmen armed with leaf blowers and
broomsticks promptly clean the driveway early each morning,
gathering the leaves before dumping them far from sight.

Figure 2. Silver therapon or “ayungin”

(Leiopotherapon plumbeus) larvae
Source: Aya (2019)

In their recent study, Aya et al. (2019) supposed that the

presence of the “talisay” leaf litter allowed small organisms,
such as zooplankton and insect larvae, to colonize the leaf
surfaces. These organisms soon became food for the ayungin
larvae. It might have also been possible that the accumulation
of leaves at the tank bottom reduces water motion and allows
the larvae to conserve their energy instead of going against
the flow of current. The darkening of the rearing water
caused by the decomposing leaves could have also provided
a good background or contrast for the larvae to efficiently
capture its prey, thus contributing to better feeding success
and consequently improve the larval survival significantly.
Figure 1. Green Previous studies have also shown that the mere presence of the
“talisay” leaves with
young fruits (above),
“talisay” leaf litter in culture tanks presents some advantages
and various shades of to improve fish survival from fingerlings to commercial sizes
“talisay” leaves (left) (Figure 3).

Volume 17 Number 3: 2019 41


Figure 3. Marketable size of silver therapon or “ayungin”
(Leiopotherapon plumbeus)
Source: Aya (2019)
Figure 4. Post-larvae of Penaeus monodon
Furthermore, other studies using only extracts of the “talisay”
leaf have also shown significant improvements in the survival
of fish as well as of tiger shrimp (Penaeus mondon). Mhd
Ikhwanuddin et al. (2014) determined the effectiveness of
different concentrations of Terminalia catappa leaves extract
on the survival and growth of the post-larvae of black tiger
shrimp Penaeus monodon (Figure 4). While establishing the
concentration of T. catappa leaves extracts that has positive
effect on the survival and growth performance of P. monodon
post-larvae, Mhd Ikhwanuddin et al. (2014) also suggested
that higher concentrations could be toxic to the shrimp larvae
that possibly result in high mortality.
Tannin present in the aqueous extract of the leaves of the
tropical almond tree could also enhance water quality in culture
tanks by reducing the pH and total ammonia nitrogen (TAN)
levels, as well as removing the turbidity in water (Bryan,
2017), proving that this plant-based coagulant could be used as
water treatment agents in culture tanks. Some studies have also
shown that the beneficial organic compounds in T. catappa
leaves extracts have antimicrobial and antifungal properties.
Nevertheless, in the study of Bryan (2017), he observed that
T. catappa leaf extract had no observable anti-bacterial effect
on the water. Babayi et al. (2004) however have shown that
the methanolic extracts of the T. catappa leaf inhabited the
growth of Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus but had
no inhibitory effects on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella
typhi and Escherichia coli. In another study, Ko et al. (2002)
found that the extracts of T. catappa leaves possessed potent
antioxidative and scavenging activities that increase as the
leaf matures.
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In Thailand, the leaves of T. catappa have been used as
alternative to chemicals and antibiotics in the culture of tilapia
(Chitmanat et al., 2005), where the results showed that the
ectoparasite Trichodina was eradicated from tilapia (Figure 5)
at 800 ppm concentration of ground leaves while the growth of
Aeromonas hydrophila was also inhibited at a concentration of
0.5 mg/ml leaves. The extracts were also observed to reduce
the fungal infection in tilapia eggs. However, research on the
toxicity of leaf extracts on tilapia and the isolation of the active
ingredients of the leaves for fish pathogen treatment is still
underway. Meanwhile, unpublished data at SEAFDEC/AQD
show that the effect of T. catappa crude ethanolic extracts on
the survival of mangrove crabs mirrored that of antibiotics at
the zoea 5 and crab instar 1 stages. This further supports the
possible replacement of antibiotics with this natural product.
The effects of T. catappa leaf extract on breeding activity
of Siamese gourami (Trichogaster pectoralis) also known as
snakeskin gourami (Figure 6), were determined by Lee et al.
(2016) by controlling the water pH using the extracts from T.
catappa leaves. The results indicated that after exposing the
fish to various pH using the extracts, the best environment to
breed the Siamese gourami was at pH 6.5. Such findings could
help the fish farmers in breeding the fish instead of harvesting
the seeds of the fish from the wild for their culture activities.
Figure 5. Tilapia, Figure 6. Siamese gourami,
Oreochromis niloticus Trichogaster pectoralis
Source: SEAFDEC/AQD Archive Source: FAO
In the breeding of ornamental fishes, the extracts of T.
catappa leaves have also proven to be useful, especially in
eliminating the external parasites such as Gyrodactylus sp.
and Dactylogyrus sp. from goldfish (Carassius auratus).
This would help the aquarium industry considering that
goldfish (Figure 7), which is a very popular ornamental fish
is often affected by these ectoparasites. In the Aeromonas
hydrophila infection in ornamental fishes, Jacob et al. (2018)
had established that plant extracts that are known for their
anti-microbial properties could serve as potential alternative
therapeutics to treat bacterial septicemia associated with A.
hydrophila in fish, instead of using antibiotics. Among the
plant extracts used was from the leaves of T. catappa.
For the culturists of betta fish or the Siamese fighting fish
(Betta splendens) which is a very popular ornamental fish
in the aquarium trade, T. catappa is a miracle tree. This is
because of its role in healing fungal infections as well as
lowering the pH and treating hardness of the culture water
for this ornamental fish. In the aquarium industry in Thailand,
the use of extracts from T. catappa is very popular among
Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center

Figure 7. Goldfish, Carassius Figure 8. Betta fish bred in
auratus Thailand
Source: Public Domain Source: Sermwatanakul, 2019
the betta breeders as it also helps them in creating vibrant
colors in betta fish (Figure 8) as well as in increasing their
spawning capacity.
In 2008, a study was conducted by researchers from the
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Khon Khaen University
in Thailand to verify the claims of betta breeders in Thailand
on the antibacterial properties of T. catappa. In their study,
Chansue et al. (2008) exposed three species of the most popular
ornamental fishes: guppy fish (Poecilia reticulate), fancy carp
(Cyprinus carpio), and Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens)
to the water extracts from dried leaves of T. catappa for more
than 14 days. The results confirmed the findings of Chansue and
Assawawongkasem (2008) that the extracts have antibacterial
properties addressing the concerns on chemical residues and
antibiotic resistance in ornamental fish culture.
Way Forward
Based on the abovementioned findings, placing dried leaves
of Terminalia catappa in culture tanks could provide the
physical benefit of a leaf litter substrate as well as the leaching
of desirable organic chemicals to the rearing water. While
the method seems simple, more studies are still needed,
especially on new applications of the T. catappa. Meanwhile,
extracts from the dried leaves of T. catappa have also
provided antibacterial and antifungal benefits. Nonetheless,
more studies on this aspect would be necessary, especially
in determining the levels of toxicity of the extracts on the
cultured organisms.
As the use of natural products are preferable to chemical and
antibiotic interventions to improve the health of cultured
species, perhaps, soon, the broad red leaves littering the
SEAFDEC/AQD driveway will be no more. They will all be
stashed away in the hatcheries and laboratories, no longer
neglected, because of their almost magical properties.
 
References
Aya, F.A. (2019). Towards reviving the production of Philippine
native aquatic species. In: Fish for the People, Vol. 17 No.
3. Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center, Bangkok,
Thailand; XXX
Aya, F.A., Nillasca, V.S.N., Sayco, M.J.P., & Garcia, L.M.B.
(2019). Improved survival, prey selectivity and diel
feeding cycle of silver therapon Leiopotherapon plumbeus
Volume 17 Number 3: 2019
(Perciformes: Terapontidae) larvae reared in tanks with
substrate. Ichthyological Research 66:239–248
Babayi, H., Kolo I., Okogun J. I., & Ijah U. J. J. (2004). The
antimicrobial activities of methanolic extracts of Eucalyptus
camaldulensis and Terminalia catappa against some
pathogenic microorganisms. Biokemistry 16(2):106-111
Bryan, M.N. (2017). Terminalia catappa (Talisay) leaves
for preliminary surface water treatment: an eco-friendly
approach. Nat Prod Chem Res 5: 249. doi: 10.4172/2329-
6836.1000249
Chansue, N. & Assawawongkasem, N. (2008). The in vitro
antibacterial activity and ornamental fish toxicity of the
water extract of Indian almond leaves (Terminalia catappa
Linn.). KKU Veterinary Journal ,18 (1): 25-30
Chansue, N., Mataderm, T., & Suilasuta, A. (2004). Preliminary
study of effects of dried Indian almond Terminalia catappa
leaf on ultrastuctural morphology of scale in Siamese
fighting fish (Betta splendens). Proceedings of Thai Herbal:
opportunities and alternative way for agriculture animal
industries. Bangkok, Thailand, January 15-16, pp. 140-144
Chitmanat, C., Tongdonmuan, K., Khanom, P., Pachontis, P.,
& Nunsong, W. (2005). Antiparasitic, antibacterial, and
antifungal activities derived from a Terminalia catappa
solution against some tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
pathogens. Acta Hort. (ISHS) 678:179-182 http://www.
actahort.org/books/678/678_25.htm
Jacob, J.P., Senan, S.C., Das, N., & Jacob, V. (2018). Potential
useful application of indigenous extracts in ornamental fishes
affecting Aeromonas hydrophi infection. J Microbiol Pathol
2018, Vol 2(2): 113
Ko, T.F., Weng, Y.M., Robin, Y., & Chiou, Y. (2002). Squalene
content and antioxidant activity of Terminalia catappa leaves
and seeds. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2002, 50, 19, 5343-5348
Lee, S.W., Farhan, R. Wee, W., Wan Zahari, M., & Co, I.
(2016). The effects of tropical almond Terminalia catappa
L., leaf extract on breeding activity of Siamese gourami,
Trichogaster pectoralis. International Journal of Fisheries
and Aquatic Studies, Vol. 4, No. 4 Part F
Mhd Ikhwanuddin, Moh, J. H. Z., Hidayah, M., Noor-Hidayati,
A. B., Aina-Lyana, N. M. A., & Abu, S. N. (2014). Effect
of Indian almond, Terminalia catappa leaves water extract
on the survival rate and growth performance of black tiger
shrimp, Penaeus monodon post larvae. AACL Bioflux, 2014,
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Sermwatanakul, A. (2019). Capacitating the local farmers to
enhance global marketing of Thailand’s National Aquatic
animal, the Siamese Fighting Fish. In: Fish for the People.
Vol. 17 No. 2. Southeast Asian Fisheries Development
Center, Bangkok, Thailand; pp 42-48
About the Author
Mr. Rex D. Dianala is an Information Specialist at
SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC/AQD) based
in Iloilo, Philippines where he also serves as Executive
Editor and Officer-in-Charge of the Development
Communication Section. He keeps ornamental fish as
a hobby and has been using dried Terminalia catappa
leaves in his aquariums.
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